BlackBerry-owned QNX is seeking to make its embedded working system and associated software program stack extra tempting to builders by providing it totally free — as long as you are utilizing it non-commercially — full with a ready-to-run picture for the Raspberry Pi 4 Mannequin B single-board pc, with Raspberry Pi 5 help within the pipeline.
“QNX is altering the sport for engineers and software program builders, offering free entry to QNX software program and sources for non-commercial use,” the corporate explains in its announcement of the transfer, dropped at our consideration by OS Information. “Whether or not you are a hobbyist, pupil, or trade skilled, QNX affords sensible instruments, coaching, and a rising group to help your embedded techniques initiatives — utterly totally free!”
QNX, then often called QUNIX, launched means again in 1982 as a UNIX-like real-time working system developed by Quantum Software program Methods, based by College of Waterloo college students Gordon Bell and Dan Dodge. The platform loved early success when it was picked because the working system for the Unisys ICON pc. A rewrite for QNX 4 noticed the discharge of the “Unbelievable 1.44MB Demo,” a fully-functional QNX set up with graphical person interface, internet browser and server, and even video games that match right into a single bootable 3.5″ floppy disk.
By the 2000s QNX was a standard instrument for automotive telematics techniques, whereas in 2004 the corporate was acquired by Harmon Worldwide Industries — then bought in 2010 to Analysis In Movement, now often called BlackBerry. Makes an attempt to launch client merchandise based mostly on the system, together with the BlackBerry PlayBook pill, didn’t meet with success — however the firm is clearly hoping it could discover broader attraction exterior the automotive sector by making it simpler for folks to experiment with the software program.
The newest launch of QNX, then, has been made out there to all for non-commercial use — with QNX primarily focusing on tutorial use in lecture rooms or for the event of coaching supplies or QNX-compatible open-source software program. It additionally calls out hobbyists and makers as potential customers —as long as you should not have “any intent of creating it a business product or placing the ensuing software program or system into manufacturing use.”
As a quick-start, the corporate has additionally launched a downloadable QNX picture for the Raspberry Pi 4 Mannequin B single-board pc. This consists of the QNX Software program Growth Platform (SDP) 8.0, although the corporate states it “solely demonstrates the beginning of what you possibly can obtain” with extra open-source examples out there within the QNX GitLab repository. A Raspberry Pi 5 picture is at the moment in growth, although not but out there on the time of writing.
These fascinated about making an attempt out QNX for themselves can apply for a free non-commercial license and entry to the Raspberry Pi picture on the QNX In every single place touchdown web page.
